An exposure apparatus, which projects a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate to perform the exposure, is used in the photolithography step as one of the steps of producing microdevices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices. The exposure apparatus includes a mask stage which is movable while retaining the mask and a substrate stage which is movable while retaining the substrate. The image of the pattern of the mask is projected onto the substrate via a projection optical system while successively moving the mask stage and the substrate stage. In the microdevice production, it is required to realize a fine and minute pattern to be formed on the substrate in order to achieve a high density of the device. In order to respond to this requirement, it is demanded to realize a higher resolution of the exposure apparatus. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus, in which the optical path space of the exposure light between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with a liquid to expose the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, has been contrived as one of means to realize the high resolution, as disclosed in International Publication No. 99/49504.